


Bleeding Hearts

by StarScheme



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Mystery, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-01-27 20:56:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21398518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarScheme/pseuds/StarScheme
Summary: After a mission gone wrong, Adrien is hospitalized and Ladybug is on the run. With his love nowhere to be found, Chat takes it upon himself to find her. Doing his best to unravel the mystery of this new villain that is hunting them down, Adrien encounters something they have never faced before and must decide on who to trust on his way to find his partner.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 15
Kudos: 44





	1. Stay With Me

Paris was pitch black. The street lights shot out and shattered amongst the pavement. Shrill laughter echoed through the alleyways as a masked figure in red dashed desperately away from the darkness, carrying a young masked man in black as best she could.

A young woman's voice chimed like a mad melody through the darkness, "Laaaadybuuug…!"

The masked girl gasped when the sound reached her ears. She was already panting for breath, a cold sweat running down her face as her arms and feet ached from the weight of the young man in her arms. Her heart raced at a dangerous pace and the cold night air pierced her lungs with each gasp for breath. If Ladybug could hear her, she still hadn't run far enough. She had to go faster. Chat Noir, her partner, her friend, was bleeding in her arms and struggling for breath. Though she had done her best to wrap the wound at his side to stop the blood, it was still dripping out and marking their trail.

"Come on, Chat. Stay awake…" she pleaded in a desperate whisper, pressing on through the alleys after only a moments pause to catch her breath.

"…you…need to leave me…" Chat breathed out weakly.  
He opened his eyes as best he could, but to his dismay, was unable to see her face clearly. His vision was blurred and with every conscious second, the pain of his wound shot through him without mercy. Though he never wanted to deny a request from his princess, his eyelids were heavy and his strength slipping from him without his consent.

"I can't. I wont!" insisted Ladybug quietly. It was true enough. She couldn't bring herself to leave him behind. This wasn't supposed to happen. This was supposed to be easy. It was supposed to be like every other mission, but it wasn't. There was no akuma to capture this time. The villain wasn't even after their miraculous'. This masked woman struck so quickly and without reason. Her target was Ladybug for sure, but Chat had gotten in the way. Everything happened so quickly that Marinette barely had time to process what had happened or see the girls face. All she could do was focus on getting her partner out of there. They had been hit before by many weapons, but somehow, this woman was able to deeply wound Chat. Which meant she was very dangerous and Ladybug's main objective had to be getting Chat Noir some help.

"…sh…she'll…catch up…" Chat tried protesting, but his strength was fading fast and his voice barely audible over Ladybugs gasps for breath as she ran away with him.

"Stop talking!" Ladybug ordered in a gasp, her voice cracking as she choked back tears. This was the first time Marinette had seen so much blood and she was doing her best to keep her head. She had to get Chat to the hospital. She'd used her lucky charm already in order to get away and had very little time to get him help before she returned to normal. Still, her identity was of little consequence right now. Chat took priority and she wasn't about to stop until he was safe. Her strength was leaving her as well, having carried Chat as far as she could with all her might.

When Marinette could no longer hear the strange woman calling for her, she stopped and knelt down to carefully place Chat down against the brick wall of a dark alley. She left him alone for only a moment as she grabbed the nearby dumpster and pulled it over to quickly devise a cover of some sort.  
Chat watched with shallow breath as Ladybug heaved trash bags at his sides to stack them around her friend. She had to hide him from that woman and then lead her away. Chat couldn't take another hit. She wouldn't let him.

"My lady….stop…" he pleaded weakly. Chat may have been too weak to move, but he could hear the faint beeping of her Miraculous. She would soon be defenseless. "You need…to…-"

Without allowing him to finish speaking, Ladybug knelt down and covered his mouth with her hand. Chat was surprised by her reaction, but more so when he began to feel her hand trembling as she covered his lips. He struggled to open his eyes and though it was dark, his night vision allowed him to just barely see the face of the woman he loved. Blurry as it was, he could see her bright blue eyes shine in the dark. 

"Chat…j-just please…don't speak." Ladybug implored with a shaky voice, unable to hold back her tears any longer. She was scared. In times of self-doubt, Chat was the one to give her strength, but she had to keep it together for him now. She kept her hand over his mouth as she pulled out her yo-yo with her other hand and called the police chief. She had to make the most of the time she had before her miraculous ran out.  
"Lieutenant Roger! We need an ambulance! The alley just off of 7th Avenue! A boy has been hurt, the criminal is still at large! Hurry!"

Ladybug only waited for the officer to confirm an ambulance was on the way before she cut off the call and turned her attention back to Chat. He kept his gaze on her face and his heart ached when he noticed the blurred stream of tears that left her beautiful blue eyes. She was so close. So close that he could reach out and touch her, but he hadn't the strength. It broke his heart. The woman he loved was upset and he wanted nothing more than to comfort her. To tell her that everything was going to be okay, to kiss her lips and silence her sobs.

Her expression was wracked with pain, but she refused to look away from her friend. Even as she took her hand from his face and pressed at his wound with both hands to add a little more pressure.  
"I'm sorry…" she whispered when she saw him wince painfully. "I-I need to stop the bleeding. …here." She gulped down a sob and took his hands, placing them over the wound in her place. "Put pressure on it."

He did as he was told, but it was difficult with what little strength he had left.  
"…W..what are you…?"

"I'm going to lead her away," answered Marinette without giving him the time to finish. "Take off your miraculous when you hear the sirens…that way, they won't know who you are. You'll be fine. Y-you'll be okay…" Her miraculous beeped again and Chat tried to move. She grabbed his shoulders and forced him to stay seated. The transformation was wearing off, she could feel it, but even if she changed back to plain old Marinette, she could still lead that woman away from Chat to buy the ambulance time.

"Princess…please…don't go." Chat pleaded. Not out of fear for his life, but out of fear for her. She was about to run off where he could not follow. He didn't have the strength and who knows what would happen to her. She could get hurt just like this and he wouldn't be there to help her this time. Even if it was dangerous for him, his heart screamed out for her to stay near him. So he could look into her eyes and know she was going to be okay, even if it might be the last thing he saw.

"For once Chat…please…shut up…" replied Ladybug, placing her trembling palm against his cheek to keep his attention. Forcing a smile, she met his eyes with her own and tried to appear brave for him.  
"...I can do this. …and when you're all better…we'll fight together again. Even if…I'm not Ladybug…I can do this for you…"

Her voice shook while she attempted a brave front and while she spoke, a faint red glow began to rush up her body. Her transformation was wearing off and their time was running out. It was harder than anything she had done before, but Marinette pulled what little strength she had in order to pull away from her injured friend and get to her feet. Despite his best efforts, Chat was losing consciousness and everything seemed to get darker. Her bright blue eyes were still a point of focus for the masked young man however, and he watched as she stood up. The red light reached her face and unmasked the young girl. She was only in sight briefly before she wiped her eyes and turned to run from the alley.  
Adrien heard her voice calling out and taunting the villain as she ran off. It wasn't until his ears picked up on the sirens that he forced himself to move. It was the last thing his princess told him to do. With an unsteady hand, he slowly pulled his ring from his finger and felt his transformation leave him. Once he knew he was back to being Adrien Agreste, he slipped the ring back on slowly.

"Adrien?!" Plagg exclaimed in a panic when he returned to his proper form and saw the damage on the young boy. The sirens were louder now and when Plagg saw humans rushing into the alleyway, he quickly hid in Adriens shirt. "Help is here…hang on!" Plagg whispered urgently.

Adrien saw blurry figures looming over his body now and a light shined in his face. They were speaking to him, no doubt asking him questions or trying to keep him conscious, but it sounded as if they were speaking to him through a thick glass. Without his Cat-like senses, it was more difficult to hear them.  
He could feel them move his body and as the darkness began to cover his vision, he allowed himself one last thought. Her black hair, her crystal blue eyes, the way she smiled at him as tears rolled down her cheeks…it was the last thing he wanted to remember. Even the vision he was granted before she ran off, he burned that into his memory as well. He didn't have the strength to react at the time, nor did he have the breath to speak, but he saw her. He was sure that he saw her face, no matter how blurry it may have been to him at the time.

"…Marinette…" breathed Adrien softly. It was the last thing he said aloud before his eye closed and he finally lost consciousness. His voice was barely above a whisper and with all the commotion, the paramedics didn't register that he even spoke as they quickly rushed him into the ambulance.


	2. The Disappearance of Adrien Agreste

The first thing Adrien heard was a faint beeping. The young man opened his eyes to find himself staring up at a white ceiling, an IV bag barely visible at the corner of his right eye. His head was so fogged that none of this registered with him at first, until sharp images of Ladybug in tears flooded his mind.

With a light gasp, Adrien shot up from what appeared to be a hospital bed. His sudden movement forcing a jolt of pain to run up his right side. He winced and looked down, noting the bandages that no doubt covered his wound.

Looking around the room quickly now, he could confirm he was in a hospital. A private room of course, but a hospital nonetheless. He was panicked for sure, but the young model tried to steady his mind and remember what he could.

A blurred vision of ladybug as she ran away, luring the culprit from him after she hid him in the alley. It was in bits and pieces, but he remembered enough to alarm him.

"Plagg!" He called out in an urgent whisper. He couldn't be sure who could hear him.

"Adrien!" Plagg answered as the Kawmi flew out from a hospital drawer and rushed to his keeper, hugging his cheek. "I was so worried! You were out for days!"

This information only served to panic Adrien more. Days?! What could have happened in all that time? Was ladybug okay? Was she hurt somewhere? Could she have been injured that very night and he was helpless to assist her?

"Plagg, what happened while I was out?" He asked quickly.

The kwami shook his head, "I don't know. I've been here with you. I tried to turn on the news whenever those doctors left the room, but..." Plagg hesitated.

"But what?!" Insisted Adrien.

"...there's been no sign of Ladybug since that night. The news has been reporting on crime and some...murders. They have been questioning why Ladybug and Chat Noir have gone missing..."

Adrien felt his heart drop. He knew why Chat Noir was no where to be seen, but where was Ladybug? Where was she? Was she safe? Was she captured? Or...worse?

He looked out his hospital window and could see the night sky. He was in the middle of Paris for sure and after looking at the clock, could confirm it was well after midnight. It wasn't until he swung his feet over the edge of the bed that Plagg spoke again.

"Hey, hey! What are you doing?"

"We have to go and find her," Adrien replied evenly, a look of resolve in his eyes. Though even as he made up his mind, the wound at his side stung him painfully. He clearly hadn't fully healed.

"I know you're worried, but you have to rest! You're no good to her like this," insisted Plagg.

"If I can move, I can help."

Plagg buzzed around Adrien, voicing his protest while the young man removed the IV from his arm. He was able to tune the kwami out as he rose from the bed and raided the hospitals cupboards and drawers. He first covered the IV mark and wrapped it quickly to stop the bleeding. Of course it hurt, but his concern for his love was enough to get him past it.

Luckily enough for him, his fathers assistant was diligent. Inside a closet next to his private bathroom, were a fresh set of clothes and a large duffle bag full of some personal items. He grabbed the clothes and emptied the bag, replacing the hand held video games, school work, and gadgets, (most likely packed to pass the time in the hospital when he recovered.) He left it all on the floor and packed his clothes, shoving in as many hospital supplies as possible. He made sure to pack bandages, wraps, hospital tape, and anything else they had close by.

If he was going to leave now, he had to make sure he could treat his own wound and perhaps be prepared if Ladybug needed some bandages herself.

"No..." Adrien whispered finally, closing his eyes tight as he tried to shake the thought of an injured Ladybug from his mind. She was okay. She had to be.

"Adrien, please, just get back into bed," Plagg pleaded once again, trying to point out the blood that had dropped to the floor when Adrien pulled out his IV. His partner was clearly not listening, but he had to try. He was in no condition to leave now, let alone fight. They still didn't even really know what they were actually up against.

"Plagg, transform me!" Adrien said simply, not giving the Kwami any more time to argue. The cat-like Kwami was forced into the ring that Adrien wore, transforming the boy into Chat Noir.

Once the transformation was complete, Chat took a deep breath. He could no longer see the wrappings for his wounds, but he could certainly still feel its faint sting. He was much more durable as Chat than he was as simply Adrien Agreste. So at the very least, the pain seemed to dull a bit.

"Sorry Plagg, but she's already been alone for too long," he declared softly. Grabbing the duffle bag, he made his way to the large hospital window and opened it up. Looking back only once before he jumped out, heading for the nearby roof of another building. This would surely cause a panic. People would be looking for Adrien Agreste and he may even come under suspicion. His identity could be questioned, but even thinking of all those possibilities, it would be worth it just to see his love again.

Nothing was going to be the same from now on and he knew that. Everything was going to change. Adrien Agreste was about to disappear, murders were taking place in Paris, and Ladybug was missing. That mad woman had changed their lives when she attacked that night, but he wouldn't let her hurt his princess. His life was never going to be the same now, but it would all be worth it if she was safe. As long as he could find her and hold her in his arms, he didn't care if everyone knew who he was, he didn't care that Adrien had to go missing. Making a dash from rooftop to rooftop, Chats first destination was the alley where he last saw Ladybug. Perhaps there would be a clue to where his love had gone.

"Don't worry, my lady. I'll find you," Chat muttered to himself as he rushed through the night, determined that he would not return to his life as Adrien until Ladybug was back in his arms.


	3. Two Become One

Chat slowly made his way towards the alley where Ladybug was last seen. He could still only remember bits and pieces, but he was confident the rest would come to him in time. He didn't have the luxury to wait for the memories to come back in full. He had already let her down and left her alone for too long.

Carefully, Chat placed the duffel bag down on the rooftop just above the alleyway. He made his way to the edge and leaned over slowly to stare down in the dark. The alley had been taped off by the police as a crime scene. He made sure to practice caution as he scaled down the wall. Once he was back in that alley, Chat began to feel nauseated and his side stung at him mercilessly.

Closing his eyes, he could see his loves face once again. Her bright blue hues glistening with tears as she pleaded with him to stay awake. How had it all go so wrong? It seemed like such a simple mission. They both thought it was just another akumatized citizen, but when they arrived to confront the woman, it all happened so fast.

All he could recall clearly from that fight, was seeing a stream of light heading straight for Ladybug. Without thinking on it, he dashed for her and tried to push her from harms way. Whatever it was that would've struck his love, struck him instead. He wasn't sure the true extent of the damage, but he knew it was bad when he felt immediately dizzy. Chat didn't regret it. He would do anything to keep Ladybug safe. The only thing he regretted about that night was that he couldn't stay with her. If he was just a little stronger, maybe a little faster, they both could have gotten away together. Perhaps he would be with her now.

With a deep breath, Chat tried to relax his mind. "Pull it together," he whispered to himself. This wasn't the time for self deprecation. He had to focus on what he could do _now_, not what he should have done.

With that, Chat made his way to the crime scene. Among several trash bags, he could see a blood stain on the ground. There was a small stream of blood drops leading to the alleyway. He cautiously slipped under the police tape and looked down the road where the blood was leading off. There was no point in following it. Ladybug had hid him and meant to lead the woman away. So she would have gone the opposite direction. He turned and looked up at the rooftops that led away from the alley, but suddenly, he remembered something important.

Her miraculous had worn off before she ran away. A light gasp escaped his lips as he recalled the faint red light that slowly rushed up her body. It was as if he were seeing the memory through water, but even the fogged image of his princess rang like a bell inside of him.

"Marinette!" Chat shouted in a gasp, feeling as though someone had slapped him in the face. The silhouette of the girl he saw that night merged quickly with his memory of his classmate Marinette.

It felt as if his heart was making several attempts to leave his chest and he felt he could barely breath. Had the woman he loved really been so close to him the entire time? Since the moment he fell in love with Ladybug, had she really been within arms reach everyday? So close that he could touch her? Every encounter with Marinette replayed in his mind and one thing stood out in each memory; her bright blue eyes.

Chat stumbled back and bumped his back against the wall, staring down at the pavement beneath his feet with wide eyes. This revelation was like a punch to the gut. How could he have not seen it all this time? How could he have possibly been so dense and deluded? His heart was racing now, his mind filled with memories and images of Marinette and Ladybug together. His confident spitfire next to the adorably clumsy and kind Marinette.

When he had a moment to soak it all in, he looked up at the night sky and smiled sadly. "I'm such an idiot..." mumbled Chat Noir. If he had only taken the time to look a little closer at that sweet girl by his side everyday in school, he would have seen what should have been obvious to him. Her smile, the way she always tried to be fair, her kindness and generosity, it should have been so clear. It was now.

She was just like him. Able to show a different side of themselves as Ladybug and Chat Noir. Thinking on both sides of Marinette, he loved them both. He often wondered how his lady lived when she was not fighting alongside him and now he knew. He was not disappointed.

Even as this long awaited dream came true, he was quickly reminded of the nightmare that faced him now. Ladybug was still missing and didn't that mean Marinette was gone as well? The string of murders that plagued Paris right now, what if she was one of them?

A large pit formed in Adriens stomach and and his breathing came faster. Two important people in his life suddenly became one and he had to bring that person home. At the very least, this meant he had another place to look at. He would have to check on Marinettes home. Perhaps there was something there to indicate where she may be.

All of this new information was a lot to take in, but the impending danger overlapped it and pushed Chat forward. He had a lot of things to ask Ladybug now, but he could do that once she was found. Leaving everything else aside, he forced himself to remain focused on the task at hand.

Chat stood straight and looked down the opposite street. If she wanted to lead the criminal away from him, she would have had to go this way. It was a closed off road and without her miraculous to help her, he doubted Marinette could scale the buildings very quickly. He rushed down the road, making sure to keep his eyes out for anything that might lead him to her. He had already gone several blocks before he stopped to press his hands against his side. This wasn't going to be easy, but he knew that from the start. There was no way he would give up. He had to find her so that he couldn't apologize for not realizing it all sooner. After this was all over, he could make up for all the lost time.


	4. I'm Here to Help

Chat had been outside looking for clues for hours and he still hadn't found a single thing that might lead him to Ladybug or the woman that attacked them that day. His side was beginning to pain him once more and with sunrise gaining on them, he knew he had to give up for the moment. After all, Chat Noir and Ladybug were supposed to be missing and Adrian Agreste would soon be found to be gone as well. Things were truly becoming quite the mess. Making his way back to the rooftop where he left his duffel bag, Adrian pulled off his ring and leaned his back against the walled edge. Once he was himself again, the pain got a lot worse and he started to see a bit of blood seeping through his shirt.

"You are really pushing it, kid," sighed Plagg as the Kwami shot into his bag to rummage for more wrapping.

"It's not like I can simply sit around and do nothing. Murders all over Paris, Ladybug is nowhere to be found, and the last time I saw her, she was saving me from a crazed psychopath. I have to know that she's safe…"

Plagg listened to Adrian silently, dragging Adriens extra clothes from the bag. "Well…" he began, placing the shirt on his partners lap, "…you can't stay in that hospital gown all day long. We need to re-wrap your wound too."

Adrien nodded, a little embarrassed to be changing clothes on an open rooftop, but he didn't have the luxury of privacy anymore. No money, no shelter, he would have to make it on his own until he found Ladybug. It took a little longer to change than he would have liked with his injuries and all, but once he was done, he lifted his clean shirt a bit, allowing Plagg to remove the old bandages and fly around him to wrap the new ones.

"So, what now?" asked Plagg once he had finished.

"We go to Marinettes house. We need to confirm that she is there and that she's safe. For all we know, she could be hiding from that woman in plain sight," answered Adrien as he leaned back against the concrete once more to rest.

"Do you really think she is there? All these people being murdered and you think Ladybug is just hiding? That doesn't sound like her."

Adrien didn't respond. He just shut his eyes and took a deep breath. Plagg was right. That wasn't like her. Ladybug would never stand by while others got hurt. She never had before. No matter what the danger might have been. Still, he did hope she was hiding. It was selfish, but Adrien wanted her to be safe. It was a long shot that Marinette was home and simply living daily life, but it was the only shot that they had right now. They didn't have any other leads.

"Adrien!" Plagg shouted in a panic, causing the young man's eyes to burst open.

Standing in front of them was a young woman with hazelnut hair, tied back into a braid. She wore a simple white sundress, her large blue eyes almost covered by the shade of her sunhat. The stranger appeared to be older than he was, but not by too much and she didn't seem alarmed by the wounded young man and his cat-like Kwami.

Adrien didn't want to arouse suspicion yet. He was supposed to be in hiding. This girl was probably a tenant of the building and came out for some air. Plagg quickly hid himself behind Adrien and the young model lowered his head to try and hide his face. He wasn't exactly an unknown student in Paris. His face was on posters and magazines everywhere you looked. He hoped that if he said nothing and pretended to be relaxing in the sunrise, that the young woman would simply take him for a tenant of the building as well and leave him be.

"Are you okay?" the woman asked as she stepped closer to him.

He panicked a little, but refused to look up at her, though he could clearly hear her footsteps edge towards him.  
"I'm fine," he said in a low voice, trying to disguise it a bit.

The woman didn't say anything and it was quiet for so long, that he thought she gave up and left, but he didn't hear any more footsteps. He finally dared to glance up to check, only to find that the woman's face was only inches from his own, staring at him with curious eyes.

"Wh-Wha-?!" Adrien exclaimed in surprise, almost hitting his head against the wall as he pulled back.

"You are not at all what I expected," the woman began, an amused smile lacing her lips now, "but if you were chosen, it was for a reason. Plagg, you can come out now."

Both Plagg and Adrien stayed perfectly still. First, Adrien listened carefully to the woman's voice. It didn't sound anything like the woman that attacked them that night. So at least that was something. Still, he had no idea if he could trust her.

"Who are you?" Adrien asked seriously now, bringing his hand to his back and signaling Plagg not to come out just yet.

The girl seemed to realize something and without a word, she stood up, pat herself down, and removed her hat to properly show her face.  
"My name is Maria…and I came here to help you find your friend, Chat Noir."


	5. More Questions Than Answers

Adrien was staring up at the young woman he had just met in suspicion. She appeared out of nowhere and seemed to know all about what was going on. She didn't sound like the woman that attacked them that night, but he couldn't rule out that she was an enemy.

"…what do you know about my _friend?_" he asked cautiously.

Maria placed her sunhat down as she knelt down in front of Adrien to meet his gaze. The smile faded from her face, replaced with a sympathetic stare.  
"Ladybug is in terrible danger…and I want to help you find her."

Maria seemed sincere, but he wasn't about to let his guard down. Not after everything that had happened so far.  
"…and just _how _do you know that? What do you have to do with all of this? How do you know who I am and why should I trust you?" he demanded with a glare.

The young woman sighed lightly and stared down at her lap, as if trying to think of an answer.  
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you don't trust me…" she replied finally, "…it would be weirder if you didn't. I wouldn't trust someone I just met either, but…I promise that you and I are searching for the same person."

"You're looking for Ladybug as well?"

Maria shook her head just a little.  
"I'm looking for the one that attacked you. I'm looking for my sister."

Adrien gasped lightly and quickly brought his hands to hold his side, the sudden intake of air had led to a sharp pain. "You're _sister_?" Adrien repeated as he winced in pain.

"Yes. …The woman that attacked you that night, is my sister. I've been looking for her and this is the first time she's shown herself in a long while."

"Why would your sister attack us? Who **_are _**you guys?!" Adrien demanded, his breathing becoming a little difficult as the pain started to get worse.

Maria seemed a little troubled now, unsure how to answer him or perhaps just concerned over his condition.  
"Calm down," she began cautiously, "you're already seriously hurt."

"Just answer me," insisted Adrien once again. He was usually so patient with people, but Ladybug was still missing and every second without knowing her condition was driving maddening.

Maria bit her lip and sat back, holding her hand tight against her chest as she glanced to the side. It was clear to Adrien that Maria was struggling for an answer. Or was she only trying to come up with a lie?

"It's…a little complicated," answered Maria awkwardly.

"Give. It. A. Try." Adrien huffed through gritted teeth. His angry expression, mostly due to the painful jolts from his side.

His frustration with her was clear and Maria didn't want to make it worse.  
"As I said before, I'm searching for my sister. We separated a long time ago, when some bad things happened to our family. Before she ran away, she blamed Ladybug for everything. I tried to reason with her…but my voice just won't reach her. In order to get revenge…she began practicing a terrible dark magic…and I fear it's turned her into something far from human…"

Adrien examined Maria's face as she tried to explain her situation. She didn't appear to be lying. Though he **did** note how vague she was being. Maria wasn't mentioning names, or even exactly what happened to her family. Maybe she trusted him about as much as he trusted her; which wasn't much. Still, it was annoying that she seemed to know more about him than he did about her. He didn't like being in the dark under these circumstances. He leaned forward a bit, gesturing his head to the side for Plagg that it was okay to come out.

The Kwami floated out from behind Adrien, staring suspiciously up at Maria.  
The girls gaze softened with a smile as she looked back at the Kwami.

"Hello Plagg," she greeted softly.

"So you're gonna help us find Ladybug? How? What clues do you have that we don't?" Plagg asked with his tiny arms crossed against his chest.

Maria sighed slightly and stood up once again.  
"My sister is probably going to take Ladybug back home in order to—"  
Maria's voiced choked up a bit and as she made to move her hands to her throat, both she and Adrien became alarmed. Her body was becoming transparent.

"What's going on?!" Adrien began in surprise, staggering to his feet in order to make his way to her.

"St-stay back!" Maria shouted with great difficulty, her voice muffled as if through thick glass. "My sister knows I'm here! She's close b—" her voice cut out again, as if her image was skipping out on a screen.

Adrien looked around in a panic. He may not have completely trusted this woman, but he couldn't stand around while she was being hurt. Was this that dark magic that she spoke of?  
"Tell me how to help!" He shouted.

Plagg took action and quickly flew towards Maria, but a strong gust of wind pushed him back to Adrien. The wind appeared to be coming from Maria as she held out her hands, palms forward to keep Plagg or Adrien from getting near her. Plagg and Adrien tried to cover their eyes from the wind while still watching Maria. She had a determined expression on her face, but her body was fading fast and the wind was getting weaker as a result.

"The murdered people! Back home!" Maria shouted in short gasps, struggling to give him the information before she was gone completely. "Seal—Russia! Only Ladybug—can stop her!" Follow the trail—the murdered people-the missing ones! Ladybug is—"  
Before Maria could finish, her body vanished completely and the wind died at once, leaving Adrien and Plagg alone on the roof to stare at where she used to be.

"What on earth was all that?!" Plagg exclaimed, flying over to where she vanished, circling the area in a panic.

Adrien held one hand at his side, frozen still as he watched Plagg fly around.  
So the murdered people were her sisters fault after all? She said to follow their trail. He wasn't entirely sure how to go about that, but this was more information than he had before. There was some sort of seal in Russia that could stop her sister and only Ladybug could use it? That woman said she was here to help them, but she only left him with more questions than answers. There was also the concern that if Maria's sister knew she was there, could she see them too? There was dark magic at work here and Maria seemed to be a victim as well.

"Adrien? What are we gonna do?" Plagg asked, flying back to his partner. "She's gone."

Adrien was silent, staring at the empty space on the roof, a million possibilities running through his mind. None of this brought him any closer to Ladybug.  
"For now…" started Adrien finally, "…we'll do what she said. We'll find out just whose missing and whose been murdered…and hopefully we'll find a trail to follow in some clues we find. She also mentioned something about a seal in Russia that only Ladybug can use. Do you know anything about that?"

Plagg closed his eyes to think, but eventually shook his head. "I don't know, I've never been to Russia. Maybe Ladybug knows something we don't?" he suggested with a shrug of his shoulders.

"It seems like everybody does," muttered Adrien irately. He took a deep breath and tried to even his thoughts. Being frustrated wouldn't get him anywhere. "Come on, Plagg. On our way to Marinette's, we'll get a few newspapers together and start from there. We'll have to figure out the Russia problem later, _after_ we get a little closer to finding Ladybug."

Plagg nodded his head and flew back towards the duffle bag to get his partners shoes for him.  
"We should remember to gather some cheese!" Plagg added as he carried the shoes to his friend, placing them down by his feet.

Adrien smiled a little and nodded his head, sitting back down to put his shoes on. There were definitely more problems now, but at least it would be a start. After all, he didn't find anything on his own. He still had no idea who Maria or her sister really were, but they clearly weren't ordinary people. Maria may have wanted to help him, but her sister wanted revenge for something that she claimed was Ladybugs fault.

All of this was confusing and only made the situation more of a mess, but it didn't change the fact that he needed to find Ladybug and confirm she was safe.  
Their first stop would still have to be Marinette's home. Her sister may have taken her away, but perhaps Maria would find them again. She had done it before after all.


	6. Close to Her

Forming back into Chat Noir, Adrien made his way to Marinettes home. Luckily, he had been there several times before. He wanted to do this first. Before he followed Maria's warnings and checked the names of the missing people. Though, even as he grew close to her home, his heart began to race much faster than before. The bakery at the bottom of the house that was normally so busy in the mornings had been taped off by the police. The windows were shattered and the door was mangled. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end and Chat took deep breaths to steady his heartbeat.

There were police stationed outside the home, but they were only there to make sure no one crossed the police line. So Chat didn't have much of a problem scaling the back of the house to get to the roof. He peeked over the edge to make sure the cops weren't aware of him and quickly climbed down to Marinettes balcony. He could hear his own heartbeat as it pounded in his chest, crouching down on the balcony, he could see drops of dried blood, already documented by the police by the looks of the evidence plaques beside them. His hands shook and he held his breath, staring down at the blood and shattered glass that was scattered around it.

Slowly and carefully, Chat slipped through the broken doors, just barely able to avoid cutting his face on the glass shards that remained attached to the door. Once inside, he stood silently in the middle of the room. If Ladybug was truly Marinette, he was more worried about her than ever. The blood on the balcony seemed to lead into the room, trailing all the way to her bedroom door and pooling at the entrance of the doorway. The large blood stain didn't look like enough to kill anyone, but Chat was quickly losing whatever reason her had left. Whatever happened to Ladybug after she left him in the alley, it wasn't good. Even if Marinette wasn't Ladybug, this scene was alarming.

"Marinette…" Adrien began under his breath, scanning the room as best he could, trying to ignore the nauseated feeling forming in his gut. Besides the blood, there were strange scratches against the ground, and he couldn't tell if they were defensive or not. The room had been ransacked, clothes, papers, and furniture were all scattered about. As he tried to steady his mind, Adrien took off his ring, returning Plagg to his Kwami form.

"This place is a mess!" Plagg exclaimed once he had returned. "Did they fight here?"

"Hopefully not…" Adrien replied absently, "…but you might be able to look in places I can't reach. So…I'll stay here…you go downstairs and check things out."

"I'm on it!" Plagg answered with a salute before flying out of the room.

This was good. Adrien wasn't confident he could search the first floor without being seen by the police, but Plagg was so small, they wouldn't see him so easily.  
Though he was trying hard to keep his imagination from running wild, his head was swimming. He was genuinely scared. Not only for the Ladybug he had come to love, but for his friend Marinette. Ladybug or not, she must have been hurt. Was _**she **_one of the murder victims?

Adrien was beginning to feel lightheaded and all he could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat. His mind was racing with terrible images and he didn't realize that he was backing up until something on the floor caught his heel, sending him falling to his back against the floor.

With a groan, he sat up and spotted the item he tripped over at his feet. It was a small pink diary with bloody finger prints smeared across the cover. He quickly reached over to snatch it up, but caught a glimpse of something else when he looked forward. He had been so absorbed in the horrible scene of blood and chaos, that he clearly hadn't noticed the decorated posters on her walls. A few posters from ads and magazine cut-outs of himself lined Marinettes wall. Surely these weren't here the last time he visited. Another large pit formed in his stomach. He had been so blind before. No matter how dense he knew he could be, there was no way to misread this, was there?

He held the small diary tightly in his hands as he stood up, staring intently at the posters on the wall. Marinettes face came to mind. He recalled every interaction with her and it only made him feel even worse. When he thought she was Ladybug, it was only then that Adrien began to truly take notice. Why did it take so much trouble for him to see what was right next to him all along? This girl, this honest, kind, clumsy, creative, and nervous young girl; she'd been right next to him the whole time. It was true that she acted differently when she was ladybug, but that was just one part of her, wasn't it? Just like Chat Noir was just another part of him as well. He cursed himself again and again. She was there the whole time and he was always looking past her, searching for a girl who was always just standing right in front of him. He was never mean to Marinette, they were friends after all, but he wondered now if his ignorance over her actions had ever hurt her.

There was too much going on. Too much to think about. Marinette, Ladybug, Maria and her murderous sister, the victims he still didn't know about. Even if he was trusted with a Miraculous, he felt overwhelmed and his confidence was steadily fading.

"What is that?" Plagg asked, chewing on some brie he found downstairs in the kitchen.

"H-huh?! What?" Adrien began, shaken only now from his overlapping thoughts. He looked down at the Kwami who had gestured at the diary in Adriens hand.  
"Oh. …it's…a diary," answered Adrien distantly. "Did you find anything downstairs?"

"Not much different from up here. Everything is overturned and it looks like there was a struggle. Though, I'm sure whatever actual clues there were, the police must have taken them. Do you think these people were attacked by the same woman?"

"Well it can't be a coincidence…" replied Adrien as he held the diary in both hands now, staring down at the blood smeared cover. We can check the papers for more information."

Plagg couldn't help but notice how despondent his partner sounded. This must have been quite the shock to the boy. The Kwami floated up to settle on Adriens shoulder and placed his tiny hand against his friends' cheek.  
"I'm sure they're okay," he began, in an attempt to reassure Adrien. "If Marinette is Ladybug, I'm sure she was able to get away and save everyone. She always does."

"…What if they were…the murder victims that were mentioned on the news? Maria said…to follow the victims trail…"

Plagg inhaled and floated in front of Adriens face, looking him in the eyes with an even stare.  
"Adrien, I know this looks bad, but this isn't the time to get shaken. We have to keep going. Ladybug needs you. These people need you. Ladybug is strong and capable, but she needs her partner, Chat Noir. So you need to pull yourself together!"

Adrien listened to Plaggs words and though he was rather unnerved, Plagg was right. He had to push through his own fears. He had to keep hope alive. Ladybug was indeed, strong and capable. Wherever she was, she was surely safe. He had to believe that. Gripping the diary in his hands, he did his best to smile for Plagg.  
"You're right. …go and get some more cheese if you can find it. We're going to need a lot of energy."

Plagg nodded his head and flew out of the room once more, leaving Adrien alone in the room again.  
The young man took a few deep breaths and scanned the room quietly. The blood, the broken furniture, it was truly foreboding, but it didn't mean that there was no hope.

"Where would you go, Marinette…?" Adrien asked aloud in the empty room as he glanced down at the diary in his hands now.

As he waited in silence, he was startled suddenly when Marinettes computer turned on by itself. It had opened to a site where one could read the news. Adrien was hesitant to approach it at first, but quickly reminded himself how precious each moment was right now. He made his way to the computer and however strange it may have been that it turned on without help, Adrien didn't have the luxury to care. If he had been thinking straight, he would have searched the computer on his own. His worry for Ladybug was clouding his judgment and he knew that, but he couldn't help it. After losing his mother, he couldn't stand the thought of losing someone else he loved.

He tried to clear his mind of his panic while scanning the information on the computer.

**Couple Murdered in Dead of Night and young girl goes missing. **

**Last night, the Paris police responded to the frantic calls of concerned citizens. When they responded to the calls, the police were surprised to find that a couple had been killed. Tom Dupain and his wife, Sabine Cheng, were found dead in their home after what appeared to be a botched burglary attempt. We have not yet been told just how they met their untimely end, but their daughter, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, is still missing. The police are offering a reward for any information regarding the young girls whereabouts.  
The girl was last seen at her school by her classmates. Any information could help the police find the girl and would be of great help. **

Adrien stared at the screen in horror. Marinette's parents had been killed. He had only met them a few times, but they seemed like such kind people. He felt sick to his stomach, but he continued on, reading the next news summary.

**Another Murder shocks Paris**

**Just hours after the terrible murder of a local married couple, the Police responded to a panicked call from Marlena Cesaire, frantically begging for an ambulance. Her Daughter, Alya Cesaire, had been found in her bedroom, seemingly murdered while she slept the night before. Time of death has not yet been determined, but Police speculate that the murder was carried out just hours after the Dupain-Cheng couple had met their end. This is the third murder victim in Paris and the Police are asking anyone for information as the culprit is still unknown. **

**Adrien Agreste, Found Injured. **

**The popular young model, Adrien Agreste, was found this morning, gravely injured. He was quickly rushed to the hospital where he is currently recouping. When asked for comment, his father refused to speak to the press and his secretary asked the public for privacy in respect for the family. The police have not commented yet on whether or not this attack is connected with any of the murders currently upsetting the city, but they urge caution to the public and ask that anyone with information come forward. **

**Ladybug and Chat Noir, absent in wake of Paris Crisis**

**As Paris panics and citizens fear for their lives, the Heroes of our city have all but vanished. With three murdered and one injured, it appears our local saviors are nowhere to be found. The crime fighting team has often helped the Paris Police Force in their efforts to keep Paris safe, but as people are found murdered and hurt, they have not yet made an appearance. One can only wonder where and when the two will show up again, but social media buzzes with pleas for their return. **

All these news summaries, they were from the same day. So much had happened while he was sleeping in the hospital. Marinette's parents and Ayla had been killed? The news didn't mention that Marinette was the connection between them. Surely, they didn't want the murderer to think they had any clues at all. The only relief he received from all of this, was that Marinette was only reported missing. She was still out there. Still, he honestly hoped she didn't know any of this. She was all alone. Her parents were gone now. He still had his father, but he knew what it felt like to lose a parent, but she had just lost both of them and her best friend all at once. At school, Marinette and Ayla were always together.

He recalled what Maria told him about her sister. That she hated Ladybug and blamed her for something. Was this her revenge? Though Adrien felt like throwing up, he took a few more deep breaths to try and regain a little composure. Things were getting worse with every moment that passed by, but if Ladybug was still out there fighting, he would do the same. They had to press on. Only once this was all over, they could properly grieve. At least then, he would be there for Marinette. She wouldn't be truly alone. He wasn't going to allow that.

Plagg came flying back into the room with an unsteady stack of cheese in his arms, "find anything?"

"Nothing good. …but yes. That woman seems to be after the people Marinette cares about. Anyone close to her," answered Adrien, turning away from the computer and taking the cheese from Plagg.  
"You may have been right, we shouldn't have left the hospital, it may have been our only chance…"

"Chance? For what?"

"To get the jump on that woman. She's going after the people that Marinette cares about…so if I'm right, the woman will come for Adrien Agreste next. She'll come for me."

Plagg gasped lightly, "Maybe we can still get you back in time!"

Adrien shook his head, "No," he began evenly, "I have to remain missing, but maybe…we can get just one step ahead of her now. I have a plan, but we will have to hurry."

Plagg nodded his head at once and without another word, Adrien transformed back into Chat Noir. He gathered up the cheese for Plagg and the small pink diary before heading back for the roof to get his bag. If he could pull this off, maybe this could be over by tonight. He had to catch that woman. He had to put an end to all this before anyone else got hurt. Before Marinette's world was completely broken.


	7. Chat Sets a Trap

Chat left Marinettes home in a hurry, taking only her diary and some cheese for Plagg. With Maria's warning and everything he had discovered at Marinettes house, Adrien was doing his best to reach the police as soon as possible. With the phone on his staff, Chat called the police chief, hoping to get the jump on things before anyone reported Adrien Agreste missing from the hospital. Luckily, the police were just as eager to speak with Chat as he was to speak with them.

Agreeing to meet up in a private location, Chat hid his duffle bag in some nearby bushes, just in time for Lieutenant Roger Raincomprix to arrive. The police officer had been worked day and night since the first murders were discovered. Since his daughter went to the same school as Marinette and Ayla, he was even more determined to find the culprit.

The officer spotted Chat Noir hiding himself in a nearby tree and he signaled the crime fighter that the coast was clear, prompting Chat to leave the tree and land in front of the Officer with a small wince, though trying to play it off.

"Sorry to call you out here so suddenly," Chat began quietly, "but we needed to get ahead of this."

"Just tell me what's going on, Chat Noir," insisted Roger, "you can't just call and say that you took Adrien Agreste from his hospital bed and not fully explain why."

Chat raised his hands in defense slightly and offered Roger an apologetic smile. He couldn't very well tell him the whole truth, but he had worked out something before they met up. Something, which he hoped would set a trap for Maria's sister.  
"I know you must have a lot of questions about what's been going on, trust me, I do too, but the one thing I knew for sure, is that Adrien Agreste is going to be the next target to be murdered. I had to act fast and get him to a safe place."

Roger's face had looked worn and pale when he arrived, but some color returned to him as he listened to Chat begin to explain things.  
"Does that mean you know who's been doing all this?! The murders and the missing girl?! Who is it?"

Chat Noir's black ears drooped a bit as he stared up at the officer.  
"Sorry," he started with a sigh, "I'm still working that all out. However, that's another reason why I called you here. Since that boy is sure to be her next target, I need you to handle the press. Don't let anyone leak that he's not in the hospital anymore. If she comes for him like I think she will be, I'm thinking we may be able to set a trap for her. I can stay and watch the room for days if I have to, but right now, it's the only lead we have to try and get ahead of this thing."

The officer listened quietly, considering Chats proposal. It was certainly more than anything they had at the moment. After all, he noted how Chat had said, 'she.' So the crime fighter already knew more than he was saying. He didn't like that the police force would now have to deal with Adrien's father, who was already being quite the pill, but there wasn't much else he could do right now. If they truly had a chance to get the jump on the culprit, he had to take it.

The officer scratched his chin and took in a deep breath before he nodded his head. "Okay. I'll do what I can to set things up. We can put a dummy in his bed, but it won't just be you watching the room. I want to head this one up. I'll be watching too, with a few other cops. We have to do this right and make sure we catch the suspect as soon as we can. …hopefully, get them to tell us where Marinette is."

_That's what I need to know, _thought Chat Noir. "Okay. You get everything taken care of with the media, but also keep it hush that you saw me."

"Why? Paris would sleep easier knowing that Ladybug and Chat Noir are back. It would go a long way to calm a few people down. It's been chaos out there."

Chat rubbed the back of his neck and tried to think of some way to explain this.  
"I…can't go into too much detail, but just trust me, it's better if I'm a ghost right now. At least until the killer is caught."

Officer Roger didn't like being left in the dark, especially now. This was his city to protect after all and he felt responsible for all of this happening right under his nose. It didn't help that Ladybug and Chat's vanishing at the same time, made the public blame the police force for not being able to stop the murders, claiming that it wouldn't have happened if Ladybug and Chat Noir had been around.  
Still, this was not the time for him to nurse his pride. He could do that later when everyone was safe again and he wasn't so arrogant that he would insist on doing this alone. Not when help was right in front of him.

"Okay, you have a deal. I'll call you when everything is ready," replied Roger finally, offering a handshake.

A relief washed over Chat and he smiled at the Officer, shaking his hand briefly before he stepped back.  
"I'm counting on you. Thanks," with that, Chat jumped back into the trees and found a covered spot to hide and watch as Officer Roger walked away.  
"This has to work…" Adrien mumbled to himself, waiting until the officer was long out of sight before he relaxed himself in the tree. His side was still aching, and though he didn't like having to rest while all this was happening, if he didn't take a second, his stitches would really pop open and he'd be no good to anyone. His transformation was the only thing helping at the moment. After a moment to breath, he removed himself from the tree and grabbed his duffle bag before slipping into an alleyway to go back into hiding until he got the go ahead from Officer Roger.

It didn't take too long for Chat to find an abandoned building to hide in. He nestled in a corner and sat himself down before removing his ring. Plagg emerged as Adrien returned to normal, leaning against the dusty wall while holding his side.

"I feel like such a fool…" Adrien muttered through gritted teeth.

"Are you sure about all this? Using yourself as bait?" Plagg asked seriously. "That thing has already killed so many people…and it's already been proven that she can hurt you, even when you are Chat Noir. That night—"

"—It's the only way to lure her out," Adrien interrupted. "Whatever this thing is, Maria said that it wants revenge on Ladybug. …on Marinette. She…already…already…" his voice trailed off and he felt his eyes begin to burn. He couldn't say it aloud. According to the news, Marinette's best friend, his friend, Ayla had been killed. All for the sake of getting to Marinette, this monster was willing to kill the people close to her. Her own parents. All he could hope for now, was that this plan worked and he could stop this all before someone else was hurt. All of this made him sick to his stomach, but he had to press on. Until he could find Ladybug and even after. Losing the people close to her, she would need his support. He would have to push any anxiety aside and be her strength for as long as she needed it.  
"…Just wait...I'll find you…" he whispered into nothing, closing his eyes as he gripped Marinettes diary in his hand.

Plagg smiled lightly and sighed, slowly slipping the diary from Adriens hand and placing it down on the floor. "Just rest, buddy, I'll keep watch."

As Adrien got some much needed rest, Plagg did just as promised and stood watch on the abandoned building. He nibbled on the cheese Adrien had taken for him as he watched silently, waiting for the police chief to call. The time seemed to pass by slowly with all this uncertainty in the air, but the silence was quickly cut short when a gust of wind brushed through the windows, opening the shutters and alarming the Kwami.

Plagg turned around to see what might have happened, but there was only more silence until the diary burst open and the pages turned rapidly. Though most of the pages had been used, they continued to turn towards the end of the diary where there were still many blank pages, all except for the one that the diary stopped at. Plagg hovered slowly towards the book, examining the small diary closely. The latch had been completely broken and as he got closer, he could clearly see writing smeared in blood on the last page. It simply read**; Глаз за глаз. **

"Eye for an Eye…" whispered Adrien as he glanced down at the diary, just now waking from his rest, his gaze catching the words etched in blood.

"Adrien?" began Plagg.

"…it's Russian," Adrien said as he reached for the diary, annoyed that the latch had been broken off. After all, as of now, this diary was his only connection to Marinette. Just having it with him made all the difference. His eyes examined the writing, praying silently that it was not ladybugs blood that had been used to write such a message.

"You're going to need help…if you want to catch her." Maria stated evenly as she entered the abandoned house, still dressed in a simple white sundress, but no longer wearing the hat that shaded her bright blue eyes.

"And you're going to help me?" Adrien asked, clear distrust in his voice. "How am I to know that you're not working with her? You want me to trust you, when I don't know a thing about you or your crazy sister? All you've told me is that she wants revenge and blames Ladybug for some imagined slight. You know far more than you are saying."

Maria's gaze drifted to the floor before she took a breath and looked back at Adrien.  
"You're right. I know more than I am saying. …but as I said before, my sister has been dealing in dark and terrible magic. She's sold her soul for this. She uses this magic to keep me away from her. Whenever I get too close to her, she wards me off. I can't even fully speak of her whereabouts…or tell you what happened to our family. I'm limited. I have some power…but hers is just…stronger right now. The more people she hurts, the more souls she takes…the stronger she becomes. I can't do this alone…and neither can you. You want to find Ladybug…and I want to stop my sister before she is too far gone. I need to stop her from hurting anyone else."

"She's already killed Marinette's parents and her closest friend," Adrien seethed, "what do you think is gonna happen when I find her? I'm not going to let her get away with tearing apart Marinette's life for something that she didn't even do!" As he glared at Maria, his voice began to rise. Everything he had been bottling up, trying so hard to stay calm, it was all bubbling to the surface. He pushed his back against the wall and used it as leverage to get to his feet as he held his side.  
"Your sister tried to kill Ladybug that night! If I hadn't gotten in the way, she would have died! Now, instead, she's destroying Ladybugs life! You want to save your sister?! You want me to help you do that?! I'm not going to save her! I'm going to make _her _pay for every tear that Marinette will have to shed and I—argh!"  
Holding his side a bit tighter, he grit his teeth. His emotions were all over the place and the tension it put on his body had aggravated his wound. It hurt, but it had stopped him long enough to notice the expression on Maria's face. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and dripping down onto the dust covered floor. Still, she stared adamantly at Adrien, determined not to look away. Her eyes met his, her expression completely resolved even as the tears trickled down and disturbed the untouched dirt on the floor. He could only stare at her, mixed confusion and anger still stuck on his face.

"What my sister has done…what she's still planning to do, I'm not asking you to forgive her. I don't expect you to. …after we find Ladybug…and make sure she's safe…I'm going to make it right. I'm going to end it…before my sisters soul is too far gone. I'm…going to kill my sister."

His eyes widened. Even after saying all that, that he wanted to make her sister pay, he really didn't expect this reaction.  
"…you…can't even get close to her. How exactly do you plan on doing that?"

"…but you can. If this trap of yours is successful, I need you to take my sisters source of power. It's an amulet around her neck. Something she wears all the time. It's an emerald amulet...and it gives her the power to keep me away. If you can get that away from her…I should be able to get close enough in order to…take her life." Maria choked out at the end. With what seemed like a forced smile, Maria tried to keep the tears contained as best she could.  
"She's my little sister and this is all I can do for her now. I can kill her…while she still has even a little humanity left in her. So please…you don't have to trust me. Just…let me do this. I want to help. I need to try and help you two…to…try and keep my sister from hurting more people. Can't we work together…to help the ones we love…?"

As jarring as her confession may have been, it did little to sway his suspicions of her. Still, he didn't have a lot of options. Maria was the only one that really knew what was going on and perhaps if she was planning to double cross him at some point, he could beat her to the punch when the time came. As they say, keep your enemies closer.  
"Okay. …We'll work together."


	8. Confrontation and Frustration

It didn't too long for the police chief to contact Chat, informing him that they were about to announce publicly that they were moving Adrien Agreste to another hospital. Hopefully, the woman would catch wind of this and attempt to come after "Adrien" in his sleep.

"It's done. Now all we do is wait…" said Adrien simply.

"You should get some sleep," suggested Maria, "we're going to be up standing watch all night. I can keep a look out while you rest."

"No, thank you," Adrien replied shortly. "No offense or anything, but I still don't exactly trust you. At least not enough let you watch me sleep."

Maria looked a little hurt, but she smiled anyhow and nodded her head. "…that's fair."

Despite what he said, Adrien laid himself down on the dusty floor and rested his head against his duffle bag while Plagg filled himself up with some cheese beside him.  
"You have an accent. Where are you and your sister from?"

The brunette sat down against the wall, making it a point to keep a little distance between them so that Adrien didn't get uncomfortable. After all, he had just said he didn't trust her. Not exactly an invitation to sit nearby.  
"Russia. My French is very good though. I had a French tutor while growing up and I spent a lot of time here before."

"How did you know where to find me **and** that I was Chat Noir?"

"I told you, I have a little power of my own. I may not be able to get close to my sister, but I've been tracking her for a long time. I knew she would be coming after Ladybug eventually…so I…sort of…stalked…you both. I followed you and Ladybug after a few missions and waited until you changed back." Maria admitted with difficulty, a little ashamed for having to do so.

Adrien flinched a bit and turned his head to face her.  
"So you know for sure that Ladybug is…Marinette?" Even though he was sure it was true, a part of him still needed some confirmation.

"Well…I'd assume that little pink book is her diary. Haven't you already read it? I'm sure there would be some proof or otherwise in there."

The young model glanced down at the book in his hands and gripped it gently. "I can't. It's not like I don't want to know more about her. Sure, it would be nice to get an inside look at her thoughts and what she might think of me, but a bigger part of me wants to hear it all from her. I only took it because...it just makes me feel better to keep it with me."

"You love her, don't you?" Maria asked knowingly, with a smile on her face.

Adrien felt his cheeks burn just a little, but he looked down at the book in his hands. Before he could answer Maria's question, Plagg hovered in front of his face and pointed to the broken window above them. The sun was setting now.

"We should get going," Adrien commented simply as he made to stand up, Plagg settling on his shoulder.

Maria got to her feet as well, patting down her white dress of the dust she had sat on.  
"I can't get close to my sister, but I'll be waiting nearby the hospital. I should be able to feel it when her amulet is removed. Once you have it, I'll be able to reach her and…end this…"  
She sounded confident enough, but her voice trailed off near the end.

"Are you sure you can do this?" He asked seriously. "If you lose your nerve and she gets away, I may never have another chance in finding where Marinette is. Besides…you can't kill her until she tells us what happened to Marinette."  
Adrien wasn't too trusting of Maria and to kill her own sister was bound to be difficult for her. So he didn't really want to rely on her to end all this right away. If she did back out in the end, he needed to think of some other way to capture this girl or immobilize her.

Maria swallowed and took a breath before she took a few steps towards Adrien.  
"I love my little sister. I'm doing this…_because _I love her. I am not going to let this chance slip away when I've been chasing her for so long."

"Then I'll be leaving first," Adrien replied before turning his back to her and heading for the door and leaving their abandoned hideout.

Watching Adrien leave, Maria waited until he had transformed and was completely out of sight before turning away from the door.

It took a little while, but Chat eventually made it to the hospital where "Adrien" was being moved to. With the help of some of the officers and hospital staff, Chat was brought into the building secretly and placed in a private room. He nestled himself beneath the covers just enough to hopefully fool this woman into thinking he was her target just long enough to spring the trap on her.

Waiting there alone in silence, every second felt agonizingly long. He was determined, but anxious and afraid. If this didn't work, how would he find Marinette? He didn't have any other leads. Hours had gone while his mind raced with uncertainty. There was no guarantee that she would show up tonight. They may have to wait days before she showed up. He knew that, but he didn't want to have to wait that long. For all he knew, Marinette was hurt and getting worse somewhere. She was waiting for him and all he could do was sit here.

Hours went by. The only sounds were the ticking of the clock and his breathing beneath the covers. Luckily, as Chat, his hearing was far more sensitive. It came in handy for situations like these. After what felt like days, he began to hear the cracking of glass. His ear twitched a bit, but he held his breath and forced himself to remain as still as possible. He could clearly hear someone breaking the latch on the hospital window. Even though he worried they had been too obvious in placing him on the second floor, someone had taken the bait and he couldn't think of anyone else that wanted him dead.  
Glass dropped onto the floor and shattered as the window suddenly burst open.

Chat flinched and wasted no time in jumping from the bed to dash towards the window. After all, he had no idea how this woman was planning to kill him. If he waited for her to get close to the bed, it might have been too late. In the five seconds it took for him to make a move, everything seemed to play in slow motion.

The moment he turned for the window, he could clearly see the woman's face and knew at once they had gotten the right person. After meeting Maria, it was clear that they were sisters. With the same bright blue eyes and light brown hair, their features were quite similar. However, this girl was not as well kept as Maria was. Her hair was cut to her chin, but it seemed like a dull knife or scissors were used. She had a large white trench coat on, but hanging down by her ankles was the tattered bottom of a white dress or skirt. The coat looked new, but judging by the shredded and dirty bottom of the garment beneath it, her actual clothes were fairly old and warn. Her cheeks were sunken in and her exposed wrists appeared frail as well. She'd look more like Maria if she wasn't so sickly.

Though Maria's eyes were thoughtful, hers were wild and appeared unfocused at first. At least until she caught a glimpse of Chat as he swiftly made his way to her. It happened so quickly, but terribly slow at the same time. Chat had to think fast, his eyes finding the emerald amulet that hung from the choker on the woman's neck. That's what he had to get first. If he could get that first, her source of power as Maria said, he'd have the advantage. He ignored the pain in his side and pushed off from floor, reaching for her neck at once.

The woman was faster than she looked. Since their last encounter was a surprise attack, he had no idea how she might actually be in a fight. She dropped to her knees at once and spun around to get back on her feet, facing Chat Noir with wild curiosity.

"You're still alive?" She asked with a crooked smile, her eyes narrowing as she looked him over. "You're the** luckiest** black cat I've ever known."

"What did you do to Ladybug?" Chat seethed, not bothering to humor her comments with a response. He had to get information and keep her distracted while he thought of some other way to get close enough to grab that amulet.

Her body seemed to tense and her wild gaze became enraged at the mention of that name.  
"Where are you hiding Adrien Agreste?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"You're not going to hurt anyone else in her life! I won't let you!"

"You should be _**thanking **_me!" The woman shouted now, her shrill voice cracking slightly. "Your blind loyalty to that girl will get you killed one day. It should have **already** killed you. Now tell me where the boy is. He's the fourth. I need **five**."

"Five," Chat repeated in confusion.

"She _**OWES **_me five! Eye for an eye!" Her shouting was becoming more shrill and manic. She was clearly distraught over the change in her plans. The emerald amulet began to glow and a the same light surrounded her hands.

Now this was something he remembered. When she attacked Ladybug that night, it was with her own hands while covered in that same glow. If he hadn't gotten in the way, who knows what would have happened. He stood his ground, readying himself for the inevitable attack. Hopefully, he'd be quick enough to find an opening to grab the amulet when she got close enough.

Unfortunately, he never got the chance to try. Before either of them moved, the door burst open as several police officers forced their way into the room, wearing riot gear and pointing their guns at the woman. Chat cursed under his breath. The police barely had time to demand her surrender before the woman rushed them, her eyes growing more wild and unfocused when she took out the first officer.

"Stay back!" Chat shouted, dashing quickly over the bed to guard the rest of the police with his staff, ramming it into the girls side to push her back from them.

Being shoved against the opposite wall, the woman's amulet stopped glowing and it appeared harder for her to breath. "You're messing everything up!" She screamed, gripping her amulet in her hand and vanishing in a wisp of green light.

"NO! **NO**!" Chat gasped aloud, running to where she had disappeared and desperately looking for some way to follow her, but it was no use. There was no trace of her left there.  
Even with the commotion behind him, the cops rushing to the aid of their fellow officer who was bleeding on the floor, Chat Noir couldn't hear anything at all. He was disgusted with himself and his helplessness. Angry tears gripped at the young hero's eyes and he held his staff tightly in his hands before swinging it wildly against some hospital equipment, smashing it after several frustrated and enraged swings with his staff.

It wasn't until an officer grabbed his wrists to stop him, did Chat even realize he was shouting and causing such a fuss. He panted for breath, staring wide eyed at the damage, refusing to let go of his staff, but his hands trembling. He was so angry with himself. He felt completely useless and lost. Without Ladybug, without Marinette, he couldn't seem to do anything. All he wanted was to keep her safe and he couldn't do anything at all. Even as the cops and doctors talked around him, questioning him and wondering what to do next, it was just white noise at this point.

"Dammit!" He shouted suddenly, dashing off without another word or before anyone could stop him. He leapt through the busted window and ran as quickly as he could back to the abandoned house. When he finally arrived, Chat was completely out of breath and the cold air was tearing at his lungs and throat. He didn't notice it all until he stopped running, still yearning to smash something or just punish himself somehow. He clenched his fists and just as he was about to slam his fist against the nearest tree, he heard a familiar voice.

"Chat! Chat! Come help!" Maria shouted desperately, running as quickly as she could, cupping something in her hands.

He turned at once, Maria reaching him just as he turned to face her, barely able to catch her breath.  
"What is it?" He asked stiffly, his hands still shaking.

"We have to help her!" Maria pleaded, opening her hands, revealing what she was holding so gently.

Chats eyes widened as he stared down at the small creature in Maria's hands. It was a red, black spotted Kwami. It was hurt and barely breathing, holding ladybugs earrings in her small arms as tightly as she could. It didn't take long to connect the dots. This was Ladybugs Kwami and her miraculous.


	9. A Kwami's Memory

Rushing back into the small abandoned building, Chat and Maria tried to help the small Kwami. Adrien took the ring from his finger and was once again Adrien Agreste, hoping that having Plagg here would be of more help since he and Maria didn't know much about this particular Kwami.

As Plagg returned, his eyes rested on Tikki while Maria bundled up one of Adriens shirts from his duffle bag to make a comfortable bed for the ailing Kwami.

"Tikki?!" Plagg exclaimed, hovering over to her side in concern. "What happened? Where's Ladybug?"

Tikki was barely breathing and she certainly looked worn. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, though finding it difficult to see. Two large blurry figures loomed over her, while Plaggs outline was much smaller and clearer.  
"Plagg…" she breathed out weakly. "Ladybug is…"  
Tikki's voice trailed off and her eyelids became heavy, no longer able to remain conscious.

"We need something sweet!" Plagg insisted, turning to the two humans watching in worry.

"I'll go and get something! You guys wait here!" Maria shouted as she was already heading out the door.

"So that's Ladybugs Kwami?" Adrien asked, trying to gently brush off the dirt and dried blood that clung to Tikki's tiny body.

"Yes. Her name is Tikki. She's holding Ladybugs Miraculous. That's not a good sign," answered Plagg seriously.

"She's fine," snapped Adrien at once. "Let's just focus on helping Tikki…and she'll tell us what happened. I'm going to change my bandages…"

Walking to the far corner of the room, Adrien rummaged through his bag and pulled out another set of gauze. He didn't mean or want to be short with Plagg, but this night was going from bad to worse and Adrien could hardly keep his cool as it was. Plagg stayed by Tikki's side, sitting by her make-shift bed as the spotted Kwami rested, clinging to the earrings for dear life.

Adrien had only just finished cleaning himself up when Maria returned with an armful of supplies. From her frantic breathing, he could tell that she hadn't stopped to catch her breath even once. She stepped inside, knelt down, and let everything she carried fall to the floor. The brunette fumbled through the supplies and ripped open a box of cookies, rushing them over to Tikki.  
Stepping towards the small pile Maria made. She seemed to have plundered a convenience store, gathering as many sweet things as she could and a few bottles of water. Though there was some candy in the mix, the pile was mostly made up of cookies.  
He grabbed a bottle of water and joined Maria at Tikki's side.

"So if she eats some cookies…will she be okay?" Adrien asked, wondering if it was the same as it was with Plagg.

"It will give her some energy back, but she looks like she's been physically hurt. She still needs rest." Plagg answered, taking a cookie from Maria and snapping off a small piece and holding it in front of Tikki's nose to try and wake her. The spotted Kwami opened her eyes once more and though she wanted the small sweet, she was reluctant to let go of the earrings. Plagg noticed this, sighing a bit as he leaned over and held the cookie closer to her mouth, allowing her to nibble at the baked good without forcing her to let go of the Miraculous.

"At least she's eating," Maria said with a relieved smile.

"How did you end up with her?" asked Adrien finally.

"I was waiting down the street from the hospital, hiding behind some store when I saw a small red light. She was flying unsteadily and muttering something. I think she was heading for the hospital as well. I didn't even approach her until she fell onto the ground. Still…I wanted to wait for you. So I took her and held her with me until I saw you dash from the hospital building. I figured that my sister got away…so I just starting running after you. I called out to you, but you were too fast for me and I don't think you could hear me. I figured that since you have Plagg, you would know how to help her," explained Maria.

Tikki had finished eating a few more pieces of the cookie and Plagg helped her to sit up. Though she still looked weak, the spotted Kwami was more lucid now.  
Plagg tried to coax her into releasing the earrings so that she could feed herself, but she only removed one hand from them and took a piece of cookie in the other.

"Tikki…I know this isn't the best time, but can you tell us what happened to Ladybug," asked Adrien, trying his best to be patient and gentle. Even if inside he was still panicking like mad.

Tikkki's large blue eyes glanced up at Adrien and when his image focused in her eye sight, she smiled brightly. "You're alive…" she breathed out happily. "Marinette would have been so sad…"

It wasn't until then that Adrien realized Marinette might have been worried about him. After, they made it a point to announce publicly about his move to another hospital and his condition was reported as rather dire. If she was worried about him, did that mean she knew about her parents and Ayla?  
"Tikki listen…I'm fine. I'm also, Chat Noir. I know that Ladybug is Marinette. I need to know what happened to her," he pleaded quietly.

Tikki blinked a few times as she processed his confession. In the midst of all this, his being Chat Noir was a small surprise, but it still made her smile. Marinette would have been so surprised and Tikki wondered if she would have even been happy about it.  
"I see. …that makes sense. It certainly explains why Plagg is here with you, but who is this?" She asked, turning her gaze to the concerned young lady staring at her.

"Oh! Um, my name is—"

"Her name is Maria and we can explain all of this after you tell us what happened to Marinette," Plagg insisted, getting a little impatient himself. He was worried about Tikki and he knew how desperate Adrien was for information.

Tikki took a deep breath and squeezed the earrings to her chest.  
"You're right. …let me show you…what happened that night."  
Without another word, the large spot on Tikki's head began to glow and she closed her eyes. Thinking it would be faster and a lot more accurate to show them, rather than trying to recall everything on her own. After all, she was still a bit fuzzy. The light from her spot appeared on each of their foreheads and suddenly, each one of them was able to see things through her own eyes from the night of the attack.

_They were all brought back to the night of the first attack. Marinette had just returned to being Marinette and she was running from the alley where she had left Chat to get help. Taunting the attacker as she called out to let her know where she was while wiping her eyes from the tears that stained her cheeks. _

"_Marinette…you need to hide too." Tikki pleaded in exhaustion, staring up at her friend from the purse that Marinette had strapped to her shoulder. _

"_I will! Once I know that she's far enough from Chat! He needs medical treatment." Marinette replied, still dashing down the dark and cold Paris streets. Her lungs cracked from the icy air and making it hard to breathe, but she refused to stop. It was hard to tell how long she had been running when she finally felt safe enough to stop for a breath. Marinette ducked into a small park and huddled herself behind a small bunch of bushes, panting for breath. With a moment to think, she looked down at her hands and was relieved to find that there was no blood to be seen.  
"Tikki…you should go and look for something sweet. I'll wait here. I might need to become Ladybug again soon…" _

_The Kwami was reluctant to leave Marinette alone, but she nodded her head and hovered from the purse to locate something, hoping to regain her strength as quickly as she could._

_Since this vision was based on Tikki's memories, they were forced to follow the Kwami while she gathered up a few cookies that she was unfortunately forced to steal from a nearby bakery. It couldn't have taken her too long, but when Tikki returned to where Marinette had hidden herself, the young girl was gone and in her place, a small blotch of blood that stained the blades of grass.  
"M-Marinette? Marinette?!" Tikki began calling out in a panic, quickly hovering above the trees and frantically scanning the streets for her partner and friend. What could have possibly happened while she was gone? Did that woman find her and take her? _

_The spotted Kwami spent hours searching the streets for any sign of her friend, but no matter where she looked, Marinette was nowhere to be found. Where would she have gone? Finally, Tikki made her way back to the Dupain-Cheng household, hoping that Marinette had simply gone home. Perhaps she assumed that they would meet there after everything died down. Tikki hovered to the balcony to enter through her window, but was shocked to see all the broken glass and blood that trailed into her room. She flew swiftly into the room, her eyes darting over everything that had been toppled over, following the trail of blood that led out of her room. Unfortunately, Tikki didn't find anything pleasant. The blood that led her to the bottom of the stairs belonged to Marinette's mother. The Kwami stared down at the woman in horror. Her neck was twisted, most likely from a fall down the stairs, but the blood had come from her chest. It was difficult to look at the woman's face, her expression frozen in the horror of her last moments. Someone appeared to have rammed something into Mrs. Dupain-Chengs chest and threw her down the stairs while she was facing her. _

_Her eyes drifted to a large hand that was close to Marinette's mother's lifeless body. Tragically, the hand belonged to Marinette's Father, Tom. He most likely ran for his wife when she toppled down the stairs, but wasn't able to reach her before someone cut him down as well. He laid in a puddle of his own blood face first; several stab wounds in his back. The slashes from the stab wounds appeared wild and filled with rage. Tikki felt sick to her stomach, her heart was beating wildly in her chest as tears dripped from her large blue eyes. Marinette's parents laid here dead and their final moments were clearly filled with fear and pain._

_Seeing all this, it was horrifying, but it instilled a brand new fear in Tikki.  
"Marinette! MARINETTE!" She screamed frantically, unable to hold back the fear and desperation in her voice. She didn't want to find Marinette like this. Thinking that she might see her friend this way, it made her feel cold. Tikki flew through every room in the house to search for Marinette before she ended up back in her bedroom. The panic was the only thing driving Tikki right now. She looked through the room one more time before she noticed the locked box where Marinette kept her secret diary. It had been opened, but the latch wasn't broken. Could that possibly mean that Marinette had opened it with her key? The Kwami hovered over to the box, glancing at the diary that was thrown to the floor. From the looks of it, someone with blood covered hands had taken the diary from the box and flung it away. The box itself had bloodied fingerprints as well, smeared along the sides. When Tikki looked inside, she was shocked to find Marinette's Miraculous inside, sitting there with a small scrap of paper that read; _ _ **don't look for me.** _

_Tikki's tears fell into the small box as she scooped up the earrings and the note. What was she supposed to do now? Marinette was nowhere to be found and her parents were murdered down stairs. Marinette was obviously here. Did she witness it all? The note was in her handwriting, Tikkki was sure of it. Marinette was here. The thought of Marinette being present for the murder of her own parents…it tore the Kwami apart. Her friend was out there somewhere alone and most likely devastated. Don't look for me? How could Tikki possibly follow those instructions? The spotted Kami hovered to the phone and dialed 112, not saying a word and simply leaving the phone there. Someone would show up soon and find the bodies, but Tikki needed to go and search for her friend. She hovered towards the window as a woman on the phone kept asking if anyone was there or if they needed help.  
"I'm sorry…" Tikki whispered softly before flying out of the house, clinging to the earrings and the note. _

When Tikki opened her eyes, all four of them were ripped from the memories, back to reality.  
Each one had tears in their eyes. Maria was wiping the tears from her face and Adrien did the same. The memories were hard to see. Maria may not have known Marinette or her parents, but Tikki's feelings were so strong, they affected her as well.

"…After that…" Tikki continued on her own, deciding to finish the rest of the story in her own voice. "I spent all day looking for Marinette. I found out about Ayla the next morning. It became clear that someone was going after the people in Marinette's life. I still couldn't find Marinette…so when I heard that Adrien was being moved for his own safety…I wanted to try and protect the last person in Marinette's life…that she…" the Kwami's voice trailed off, choking back a sob before the tears began to flow and she hugged the earrings tightly to her chest once more, trying to silence her sobs.

Plagg scooted himself closer to Tikki and gently stroked her head as she sobbed.  
"…Adrien is safe and Marinette is still out there. We'll find her," he reassured his friend.

Adrien covered his eyes with his hand, dropping down to the floor to sit down. He knew just how Tikki felt. They both wanted to be there for Marinette right now. The thought of her being alone through all this, possibly hurt, it was devastating. They had to hang on to some hope that Marinette was okay.

"…So…now what…?" Maria asked after a few moments of silence.

"We continue to track your sister. …even if she doesn't have Marinette, she's still after her life and anyone around her. We have to take her out so that if Marinette is hiding, she can come out into the open. However, we still need to know more about all this," insisted Adrien as he looked up at Maria. "You need to tell us everything that you can about your sister and this power that she has."

"I'll tell you all that I can," agreed Maria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So that ends the sad tale of Marinette's parents' end. Whether Marinette saw it or not remains a mystery, but at least they have Tikki to help them look now. Also, I have no idea if Tikki can show people her memories or anything. It was just something I made up to make the situation more convenient for me. Hope nobody takes that as canon.


	10. All Aboard

Plagg and Adrien took some time to comfort Tikki, once she was able to calm down, she and Plagg fell asleep on Adriens bundled shirt. Though Tikki still refused to let go of the earrings, holding them with one arm while holding Plaggs hand with the other, she seemed much more at ease now. Adrien was sure that finding a familiar face did a lot of good for her. Now, if he could only do the same. He had decided to get some rest. His emotions were walking a razors edge ever since this started. He could tell how unhinged he was becoming, but he had to try and keep it together. After all, Marinette was all alone. If he couldn't handle this, how could he expect to face her when they finally met once again?

However, knowing you need sleep and actually being able to get it, are two very different things. His mind was troubled and every time he closed his eyes, he saw Marinette's parents lying dead on the floor. It was selfish, but he wished Tikki had kept that memory to herself. After several hours of tossing and turning, he was gently tapped by the familiar feeling of his partner's tiny hands.

"I'm up," sighed Adrien.

"Maria's gone," Plagg announced, Tikki hovering just inches behind him, rubbing her eyes as they were a bit swollen from crying most of the night.

"She left last night?" Tikki asked hazily.

"Did anyone see her leave?" Adrien asked as he got to his feet and ran his hand through his hair. A restless sleep didn't help any.

Plagg shook his head, "but I checked and nothing is missing. Maybe she went out for some air."

"Well we don't have time to sit around and wait for her. We need to get going. If we stay in one place for too long that crazy sister of hers might find us."  
Grabbing his duffle bag, Adrien began packing the water and snacks up with everything else.

"We're going to leave without her? I thought we needed more information," Plagg said as he hovered over to Adrien.

"She's somehow been able to find us wherever we are, I'm sure she'll catch up to us along the way. If not, we can make our own way to Marinette."

"Are you sure about this?" Tikki asked in concern. "After all that's happened…we should take all the help we can get…"

"Haven't you noticed that she never mentions her sister by name? I know she says there are things she can't tell us because of some spell, but we're just supposed to take her word for it?" Adrien began irately, unable to hide the frustration in his voice.  
"I've already told her that I don't trust her. Who would? She's able to find me wherever I am, but she can't find Marinette?! How am I supposed to believe that? Besides—"

"Adrien!" Plagg interrupted, hovering himself in front of his partners face to get his attention. "I know this is hard for you and it's just going to get a lot harder. This is why we can't just dismiss someone that is willing to help us."

Adrien looked as though he wanted to argue for a moment, but instead, he took in a deep breath and nodded his head, "You're right. Sorry…"

Tikki hovered over to Adriens side as well and with a small smile, she extended her hands to offer the earrings to Adrien.  
"Marinette needs us all to stick together. She trusts you as both Adrien and Chat Noir and so do I."

His nose and eyes began to burn lightly, but Adrien gulped down the tears that threatened to form. After almost two nights with no sleep, his emotions were hanging by a thread. His friends were right. He had to keep it together for Marinette. He took the earrings in his hand.  
"I promise…I won't let her down."

Just as Tikki grabbed a small tissue to help wipe Adriens eyes, Maria entered the room, holding a small bag filled with bottles of water.  
"Is everything okay? I was just—what is that?"  
Maria turned her head and pointed at once to the pair of yellow eyes that peered down at them all from a boarded up window near the rafters.

Adrien flinched and everyone quickly turned to face Maria. He had been awake all night long and didn't hear a thing. Who even knew that they were here?  
"What is it?"

"Plagg! Tikki!" Maria ordered urgently.

Without hesitation, Plagg and Tikki flew quickly toward the window and the leering pair of eyes dashed away. Before Adrien could say anything, Maria had grabbed his hand and pulled him with her outside, thinking they could cut the stranger off while the Kwami's chased after it in the air. They had made it outside just in time to see a black cat pounce on Adriens face. It would have knocked him over in surprise if it weren't for Maria holding his hand to keep him up.

"Adrien!" Plagg and Tikki shouted together as they rushed over to him. The Cat seemed to vanish completely, but it left something at Adrien's feet. As the young model rubbed his nose, he looked down at the cat's gift. An envelope was left in the dirt, with only Ladybugs symbol as a marker.

Maria knelt down and ripped open the envelope, pulling out two Polaroid's.  
Her eyes widened a bit and as the others closed in, Adrien gasped and yanked the pictures from her hands. It was Marinette. At least, he was almost certain.  
The picture was of a young girl wearing a black baseball cap, her hair was cut to her chin and she was wearing an oversized red sweater. The picture was only able to catch her from the side, but the one thing that truly stood out was her eyes. There was no mistaking those bright blue hues.

"Wh-where is this?! Who took these?!" Adrien demanded, his voice shaking a bit. It was the first sighting of Marinette since they separated in that alleyway, but clearly someone knew where she was and someone was following her. So why couldn't he find her?

"Adrien…calm down," Maria started evenly, "there is something in this second photo." She informed, holding out the other photograph for all to see. It seemed like a copy of the first, but a bit more focused on a man that was standing next to Marinette, holding a large bag. His back was to the camera and Marinette seemed to be holding onto the sleeve of his jacket. He couldn't see the man's face at all. Just above their heads, was a schedule of arrivals and departures. They appeared to be at a train station and what caught the eye was the sign that indicated a departure from Paris to St. Petersburg.

"Didn't you say that there was some seal in Russia? Something that only Ladybug could use?" Adrien asked again as he searched his memory of their first meeting.

Maria's face turned a little pale as she stared down at the picture. Something that Adrien couldn't help but notice.  
"…Yes, but…we shouldn't just go running off so quickly. After all—"

"—Your sister might be working with someone and that man is taking Marinette somewhere." Adrien stated seriously.

"Marinette is okay…" Tikki sighed in relief. A small smile formed across the Kwamis face and she took a few deep breaths. It lifted a large weight off of her tiny shoulders. Ever since finding the earrings, Tikki had feared the worst.

"She is _not _okay," Adrien began, "she's being taken out of Paris. It can't be a coincidence that Maria already mentioned Russia. If Marinette has already left for St. Petersburg, we are too far behind."

"What if she isn't though?" Maria asked. "This could be my sisters way of getting us out of Paris on a wild goose chase."

"Can we take that chance and simply stay here?" Tikki asked in concern. "I…have been searching for Marinette since she vanished…and I've come up with nothing. Perhaps someone is helping that terrible woman and is taking her away…"

"Then…" Maria began, "…we should hurry and get to the train station…" she agreed reluctantly. A fact that Adrien couldn't ignore.

Glancing at Maria for a moment or two, he strode back into the abandoned home and shoved the pictures into his duffle bag along with a few bottles of water. The three that followed him inside were afraid to say anything. Adrien had been short with everyone since this all began and it didn't help that he was running on maybe a couple hours of sleep.

"Adrien…" Maria started cautiously, "…this is good news. At least we know where she may be going…right?"

_How is this good news?! _Thought Adrien. Someone took those photos. Someone knew exactly where he was to send them to him. Someone was watching all this and toying with them, yet he knew nothing at all. This feeling of helplessness was maddening.

It took a little while, but eventually they made it to the train station, Adrien and Maria trying to stay out of sight, crouched down by a luggage trolley. Even if they had the money for tickets, they would need to present passports and Adrien couldn't afford to reveal himself.

"Now…if you can transform and sneak onto the train, I'll meet you in the luggage car. Maybe you can find a change of clothes there as well." Maria stated quietly as she stood up.

"Wait, I still don't understand how you plan to sneak onto the train yourself," Adrien insisted as he reached up and grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"Don't worry about me, young man, I am not a famous model that went missing. No one is looking for **me**. Just get yourself onto the train."

Adrien was skeptical, but he released Maria's wrist and watched quietly as the woman walked off into the crowd with a calm demeanor, carrying the duffle bag over her shoulder. He still couldn't trust that woman. Something about her was just off and he was just waiting for the moment when she decided to turn on them.  
After Maria was out of sight, Plagg and Tikki peeked over the luggage towards the train that was waiting to leave.

"Taking a plane would have been faster…" Plagg muttered.

"Yes, but it would be a lot harder to sneak onto a plane." Tikki said simply. "Marinette is smart. It's why she chose the Train."

"Well depending on when she actually left, we will be 4 days behind her. Do you honestly think Adrien will remain sane stuck on a train for 4 days?" Plagg asked with a sigh.

"I can hear you both" Adrien interrupted with a small clearing of his throat. "Don't worry. I can handle myself. This is our first actual lead on Marinette…and while that mad woman is looking for Ladybug in Paris, we'll be a step ahead of her."

Tikkis eyes brightened and she nodded her head in agreement.  
"Yes! Let's go and get Marinette."

"Plagg, transform me," Adrien whispered, hoping to be as quiet as possible. Once he had completed the transformation into Chat Noir, Tikki sat herself on Adriens shoulder as he began to sneak off into the crowded train station. It was a little difficult not to be seen with so many people and he was admittedly distracted by trying to find Maria near the train they should be getting on. Even as Chat Noir, he couldn't seem to spot her. Had she already gotten onto the train? That was rather fast. Though it was good timing. The trains whistle went off and the announcer announced over the PA system that it would be departing in 5min.

With Tikkis help to keep him focused, Chat was able to successfully duck a few officers and get onto the back of a baggage car. He crawled under the train though he felt bad by doing so, Adrien used his cataclysm in order to rust out a hole in the bottom of the baggage car, avoiding several travel bags as they fell out before he slipped in and did his best to rearrange the luggage so it wouldn't fall through the hole as the train left the station. It was also helpful in stacking them up to hide himself a bit.

In using his cataclysm, the transformation began to wear off and Adrien returned to normal and Plagg sighed heavily.  
"Do you think one of these bags has some cheese," asked Plagg tiredly.

"You are not stealing anything." Tikki replied adamantly.

"You should go ahead and check the bags, but we may be able to get some cheese in the dining car." Maria said as she stepped into the baggage car, still holding the duffle bag over her shoulders.  
"Adrien, you should also go through some of the bags to see if there are any clothes that might fit you. You're going to need a disguise."

Tikki looked a little troubled over the idea of going through peoples things, but Adrien only nodded. They didn't exactly have any money and very few options on where to get food and clothes.  
As he began to search through the bags, he glanced at Maria who stood watch at the door while the train began to move.

"You seem pretty comfortable with all this," he commented while rummaging through some clothes.

"…I have a little experience in running and hiding, though I had a lot more help last time," admitted Maria.

"So what are we gonna do, stay in the baggage car for four days?"

"No. …I found a young mother and her son who boarded the train. …Once their tickets were scanned, I stole them and got the two off the train. We will be taking their room."

Tikki looked a bit shocked over the admission of theft, but Plagg simply nodded his head in approval. He seemed to think it was a clever option. Tikki turned to Adrien in hopes that he would also disapprove of this and although he did appear conflicted he didn't argue with Maria.

"Okay. Sounds good," Adrien replied finally as he pulled a change of clothes close enough to his size out of a bag.

"You guys!" Tikki tried to protest.

"Someone is after Marinette and murdering her friends and family. We have to do anything we can to get to her safely. A little theft will have to be overlooked." Adrien said simply as he made his way to Maria and stuffed the clothes into the duffel bag.

Tikki still wanted to argue, but she didn't have a lot of room to debate. It was true enough that their options were limited and the situation quite dire.

"Come on. We'll ask someone where our room is and maybe you can get some rest." Maria insisted before opening the door, revealing a train worker that had been knocked out onto the floor just inches from the door.  
"He wasn't supposed to let anyone into the luggage car. …so I had to make sure he wouldn't tell anyone we were in here," Maria admitted with a stoic expression before anyone could become alarmed.

Adrien was quiet as he followed Maria out of the luggage car. He wasn't about to start fighting with her and cause a scene right now, but he was growing ever more suspicious of her. For now though, she was useful to have around and didn't seem to have a problem doing a few shady things to get what she needed. For the time being, even if he didn't trust her, he would use her, but keep an eye on her. As long as he made it to Marinette to ensure that she was safe, he would do what he had to.


	11. Lack of Sleep

Luckily, it wasn't difficult to find their room on their own. Since the tickets that Maria took were from a mother and son, the sleeping car had two single beds for them and once they were settled in, most of the ride was in silence. Maria wasn't saying much, only looking out the window, staring off with a troubled expression. Ever since they had decided to go to Russia, Maria's demeanor seemed to change completely. When they first met, she was eager to help and did her best to be comforting as well as patient. However, when they snuck onto the train she did things without consulting the others and didn't show any regret in doing so. Though Adrien noted her change in mood, he didn't comment on it. Talking to Maria was still a little difficult for him. After all, he couldn't shake the idea that she wasn't to be trusted.

Adrien still couldn't sleep much and every time he woke up from his nightmares, Maria was always awake as well, still staring out that window listlessly. Every now and then she would leave the sleeping car and be gone for a few hours, but always returned with the same expression.

Tikki and Plagg could feel the tension in the room and had a hard time not saying anything about it. Plagg decided to spend his energy on trying to support Adrien and Tikki, while Tikki herself was trying to do her part and helping Plagg to steal bits of food from the dining car for them all.  
She hated to do so, but she kept telling herself that she and Marinette would pay the train station back somehow when this was all over.

"You really should get some sleep," Maria said suddenly, still staring out the window at the starry sky as the train rushed along the tracks.

Adrien was sitting at the corner of his bed against the wall and looked up from Marinette's picture that the black cat had left behind. Maria had been silent for days, so it took him a moment to even realize she was addressing him. He stared at her for a moment in confusion before he replied, "I'm fine."

"You look terrible," she said flatly, still not looking his way. "We'll be there in less than a day. You'll need your strength when we arrive and it's been days since you had any proper rest. It's nearly December…so it will be rather cold."

"It's not like I'm forcing myself to stay awake," snapped Adrien. "I just can't."

Maria finally glanced his way, turning her head just a little. Her gaze dropped down to his hands where he held the picture. "You love her?"

Adrien flinched and quickly tucked the photo back into the diary where he had been keeping it. With reddened cheeks, the teenage boy suddenly felt his stomach turning.  
"I-well I have been in love with Ladybug for a long time now," he admitted while avoiding her eyes.

"You didn't know who she was though, right? Do you love Marinette now too?" Maria asked with a stoic expression.

This question seemed to stop Adrien cold. He hadn't really thought about it. He had been consumed by all of this and so determined to just find her that he never considered any of this. Sure, he felt stupid for not seeing it sooner, but up until he found out, they had been two completely different people to him.  
For a moment, Adrien was silent, but to Maria's surprise, he almost laughed and met her eyes with a smile. His cheeks were still flushed, but he seemed happy for the first time in days.  
"Yeah, I do," he answered with a grin. "Marinette is caring, funny, and extremely kind. Add all that to what I love about Ladybug, they become even more to me than they were before."

He was a little embarrassed to say all this aloud, but it was easier with a stranger. Besides, what was the point in hiding it? However, Maria's reaction was unexpected. She was simply sitting there, her eyes wide and tears dripping down her cheeks. In a panic, Adrien scrambled to his feet, "Wh-what's wrong?! Did I—was what I said that shocking?! Are you hurt?"

The young woman gasped lightly and quickly wiped her eyes and shook her head.  
"N-NO! It's nothing like that," she insisted. "It's just…you remind me of someone."

"Hopefully not a lover," he joked as he offered her a tissue.

Maria was surprised again. This was the first time he was being kind to her since they met and she certainly hadn't seen him joke around. She smiled and took the tissue to dab at her eyes.  
"You're far too young for me to compare you to anyone like that."

"You don't look that old," Adrien joked again. He may not have trusted Maria, but it wasn't in Adriens nature to ignore someone that was crying.

Maria shook her head and smiled at Adrien, "the person you remind me of…is long gone now, but she was a romantic too and her mind was completely consumed with her love. They were best friends too…but things didn't end well for them. …I hope that you and Ladybug have a different ending."

"I'll make sure of it," he replied with confidence.

Maria looked slightly relieved.  
"You're quite open about your feelings. That's a good thing."  
Though she was sure Adrien had only spoken to her so kindly because she got upset, it was kind of him to do so at all. Especially after her days of silence towards him.

"Well…this is probably not the time to be talking about things like this. After everything that has happened, all this love talk…seems a bit selfish."

"No it doesn't," Maria insisted. "Love is important…and those feelings may be the only thing that get you both through all this."

"So once we get to Saint Petersburg…where should we begin looking for Marinette?" Adrien asked, glancing out the window and trying to change the subject.

The brunettes content expression faded at once and her gaze fell to the floor.  
"…it's a big place. Looking for a single person could be difficult…especially if someone is hiding her or keeping her out of the public eye. …whoever that man in the photos was…he's either helping my sister or Marinette. If they are trying to hide from my sister…they will be staying in populated places. So…even though it's dangerous for you, we should go to all the tourist spots. We'll just have to make sure you're properly disguised and that no one recognizes you."

Adrien nodded in agreement, still staring out at the trees that rushed by.  
"Did you not think that cat was strange? You haven't said a word about it."

Maria didn't respond. She simply stared out the window with a troubled expression.  
It wasn't until Tikki and Plagg returned, carrying a small bag of stolen food together that the tension was broken. Maria stood up made her way to the door the Kwami's had just entered.  
"I need some air," she said without looking back as she left the sleep car.

The Kwami's could tell at once that they had interrupted something, but they had been doing their best to keep the peace this entire trip so they didn't want to cause waves in such small quarters.  
"H-hey, we were able to get a lot of sweets this time!" Tikki announced, trying to get Adrien's attention.

However, Adrien didn't seem to be listening, he was simply staring at the closed door, getting more and more irritated. He grit his teeth and stomped out of the room to go after Maria, alarming the Kwami's to follow behind him. The last thing they wanted was for a fight to break out on this train.

"Hey buddy, why don't we just go back to the room? You really need some sleep and we'll be there in less than a day." Plagg tried.

"No. I'm tired of her dodging questions and acting like she doesn't know anything. She could be leading us into a trap for all we know! Mari could be back in Paris while we waste our time with this run around! Which, for all we know, is what she wants!" Adrien ranted as he frantically paced through the train cars to find Maria.

"This is hard on everyone, but Maria is the only real help we have right now. Without her, we wouldn't even know what's going on. We can't afford to upset her and lose our only good lead," Tikki pleaded.

Adrien stopped and thought for a moment on Tikki's words. She was right. He was about to go and tell off the one person that seemed to be helping them. He knew that they were right and the lack of sleep was getting to him. His thoughts were all over the place and he was snapping at everyone over nothing. Thank goodness he had Tikki and Plagg with him to check his behavior.  
He sighed and rubbed his eyes for a moment.  
"…yeah, you're right. I'm sorry. Let's go back to the sleep car and I'll just try and get some sleep."

Tikki and Plagg glanced at one another, each one relieved to find that Adrien wasn't difficult to convince today. After all, it was getting harder and harder the longer he went without sleep. The Kwami's sat themselves at Adriens shoulders and went along for the ride as the young model made his way back to their room.

Just as Adrien was about to step back into his room, he heard the faint sound of a bell and quickly turned on his heel to look behind him. His eyes went wide when he saw the figure of a young woman and a glimpse of red and black as she ran by him, seemingly following a small black cat with a bell around his neck down the hall.

"Ladybug…?" Adrien breathed in disbelief.

Plagg and Tikki weren't sure what he was seeing or why he seemed so confused. They could see that his eyes were following something, but to them, it was just an empty hall.  
"Uh…Adrien…?" Plagg began in concern.

"You guys stay here," Adrien insisted as he scooped them from his shoulders and placed them into the room before shutting the door and dashing after the image. He wasn't sure if it was real or not. The figure looked fuzzy and though he could clearly see red with black spots, the outfit was different from what he recalled. The hair he knew to be black and in pigtails, was now in a ponytail with long brunette hair flowing behind her.  
"L-ladybug," Adrien shouted as he ran after the young woman.

The moment he called out to her, the figure stopped and just as she was about to turn and face him, the cat jumped through her faded figure and she evaporated into the air. Adrien had been so focused on her image, that he almost didn't notice the door he almost crashed into. His palms slammed against the glass of the door as he narrowly avoided falling over. He had reached the end of the train. How long was he running after this mirage?

Adrien looked around for the black cat, but it was nowhere to be found. He wasn't so sure that the girl was real, but the cat looked real enough. Finally, he looked out the window to the very back of the train and saw Maria standing on the lookout in the freezing cold.

"Wai—Maria?!" Adrien began in shock, reaching for the door handle, but finding out quickly that he wasn't able to turn it. He looked down at the mechanics and was dismayed to find that he would need some type of code to get through. He made his hand into a fist and knocked hard on the window to try and get her attention.  
"Maria! What are you doing?! Get back inside!"

The wind was so loud as the train rushed by, that it really should have been impossible for Maria to hear him, but she turned around when Adrien pounded against the glass. Without saying a word, the door to the outside opened up and Adrien nearly lost his footing before stepping outside. The wind was fierce and combined with the snow that flew by, it stabbed at his skin like needles. He hugged his arms to try and keep warm before he spoke again.  
"Maria! We need to get inside! You'll catch your death out here," he shouted above the wind.

"I can't go back," Maria replied simply, not turning to look at him.

"What," Adrien asked, just barely able to hear her.

"You asked me about the black cat. I couldn't answer you because you wouldn't understand. The cat means I can't go back! I thought I could do this! I thought I could help you and Marinette to make up for everything, but I'm a coward!" Maria shouted now, her eyes welling up with tears, but refusing to let them fall. "I can't go to Russia with you, because once you get there, you'll find out what I did! That cat came as a warning!!"

"What are you talking about?! You're not making any sense! Just come back inside, we can talk more in there!"

Maria shook her head, tears finally trickling down her cheeks.  
"I can't go there with you. I can't be there until you find what you need. I'm too scared…and too ashamed. I was coward then…and I'm _still_ a coward. When you eventually find out who I really am, I'll see you again."  
The brunette lifted her leg and hoisted herself up onto the railing that kept them from falling off the back of the train.

It was then that Adrien panicked and rushed over to pull her down, but Maria pushed off quicker than he could reach her. With his heart about to leap from his chest, he held onto the railing tight and leaned over the edge to frantically search the darkness. He couldn't see a thing. Maria had jumped and vanished into the night and snow. He didn't hear a scream, nor could he see a body. Though how would he? It was the dead of night and the train was moving so quickly that they would be long separated by now. What good would holding out his hand do now? The cold felt like nothing now. He was simply too shocked to feel anything. He wasn't sure how long he had stood there and stared out into the darkness before he finally walked back inside. The door automatically closed behind him and he made his way back to the sleeping car before he knew it.  
Without saying a word to Plagg or Tikki, even as they questioned him when he stepped inside, Adrien fell down onto his bed and closed his eyes.

They were right. He really needed to get some sleep.


	12. Hey Chat, Do You Love Me?

The next morning, Adrien was in the washroom, taking Tikki up on her offer to help him change the bandage around his waist. His wound had stopped bleeding, but it had become a bit discolored. Hopefully, it wasn't getting infected or anything. It was still quite sore and though he hadn't said anything, every time he moved he could feel a sharp pain.

"All done," Tikki announced happily.

"Thanks," Adrien replied as he pulled his shirt back down.

After everything that had happened last night, Adrien was finally able to get some rest. It didn't feel like much, but it was definitely needed. His mind was a bit clearer, but it didn't help him to make sense of anything that went down last night. A black cat made a sudden appearance and though it brought clues to Marinette, It also seemed to be an omen for Maria. Well, it certainly scared her enough to jump off of a moving train. Though she and her sister had abilities he wasn't fully aware of, Adrien still worried about Maria's wellbeing. He was sure that she wouldn't be completely uninjured.

Adrien washed his face and hands, trying to prepare for the day when an announcement rang through the train. They would be arriving at the Tsarskoye Selo Railway Station in half an hour. Finally.  
Adrien and Tikki didn't waste any time leaving the washroom. When Maria stole the tickets, she insisted that this was the best place to start their search. Not that Adrien could ask her why anymore. Even though Adrien didn't fully trust Maria, he was sort of counting on her to be their guide. He had been to Russia before, but only for a short modeling job and he wasn't able to spend much time in the country. He wanted to ask Maria why she considered this to be where they needed to begin. She must have had a reason. Still, they were on their own now.  
Once he and Tikki returned to their sleeping car, he gathered up his bag, filled with random clothes that he, unfortunately, had to steal from other people's bags in the cargo car. Plagg even went as far as to steal bits of money from other passengers. They didn't want to take too much, so the little bits that they got from each person didn't add up to much, but it was enough to keep them fed when they couldn't pilfer what they needed.

Plagg was the only one that didn't seem to have a problem with all this stealing. He argued that it was necessary for them while on the run like this if they wanted to avoid detection. Though Adrien and Tikki knew he was right, it still turned their stomachs a bit. Still, Adrien had to put it to the back of his mind for now. What mattered most to him was finding Marinette and making sure that she was safe. With all his things backed away, Adrien put on a baseball cap and kept his head down while exiting the train, the Kwami's tucked into the duffle bag, peeking out only a little to see the people passing by them. Tikki was anxiously searching the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse, some sign of Marinette. She knew it was a long shot, but now that they had some clue as to where she was, her hopes were rather high. It was the dead of winter here and everyone was bundled up, a great season not to be noticed. With the large coats, scarves, and hats, it would be easy to hide in a crowd. All the better for them.

"Okay, where should we start?" asked Tikki as she fumbled open the folded map in Adrien's duffle bag. She looked it over, but it honestly seemed a bit confusing, having a map wasn't much help if they didn't know where to go in the first place. "So we get sent here…with absolutely no clue on where to start…except that Maria told us to come to this city, but it's still such a big city…where do we even begin?"

Plagg could see that Tikki was beginning to distress once more and he sighed a bit, "don't worry about it, sugar. We'll find her."

"Don't call me 'sugar,'" Tikki insisted, keeping her eyes firmly on the map.

Adrien could hear them starting to bicker inside the bag and he jostled it a bit as he discretely shushed them. Tikki had fallen over onto the map and Plagg was stuck under a large sweater now after Adrien moved the bag. Tikki glanced over to Plagg and giggled lightly.

"That looks cozy," she teased.

Plagg smirked a bit, just glad she was distracted now. He knew how much Tikki had been through and he didn't want her to dwell on it too much. Once they found Marinette, she wouldn't have to think about it at all anymore.

Adrien sighed a bit, taking quick scans of the crowd from beneath the brim of his cap. Tikki was right, they had no idea where to actually begin. As Adrien was walking amongst the strangers, suddenly, the sounds of footsteps ceased and the murmur of voices became completely silent. With a gasp, Adrien looked up, only to find that he was all alone. The people were all gone and not a sound to be heard.  
He panicked and looked to his side, but the duffle bag was gone and he could see that he was no longer just Adrien. He had transformed into Chat Noir.

"Wha-? What is—ARGH!" just as he began to question all this, the pain in his side grew larger and blood began to drip against the pavement. It felt just like before. The night this all started. Chat stumbled backward and fell to his knees, holding onto his side as the blood continued to spill. The wound was warm and cold at the same time. It burned and it chilled him, making his whole body shake lightly. Was this an illusion? Or had these past few days only been a dream and he was just lost in pain at the hospital?

"KOT!" a woman screamed desperately.

Chat's ears perked up and he looked around for the owner of the voice, but he saw no one. At least not at first. Then all of a sudden, he saw the vague image of a woman kneeling in front of him and crying. Once again, she was dressed in a red suit with black spots. He couldn't see the details of it, the image was blurry at best. He could barely make out shapes and colors, but he could clearly hear her sobbing some feet in front of him. Chat may have been bloody on the ground, but he could tell that she was too. Her hands were covered in it and a small puddle of red liquid was spreading from where she sat, though he couldn't tell from where the woman was bleeding.

"L-Ladybug?" Chat choked out.  
The woman didn't seem to hear him this time. She only continued to sob and even began an attempt to drag herself over to Chat Noir. It looked painful and difficult, but she appeared desperate to get to him.  
"D-don't m..move! You're hurt!" he choked out once more, unable to get up and help her. In fact, he was getting colder and colder, barely able to keep his eyes open as he watched the foggy image of an unfamiliar Ladybug struggling to drag herself towards him.

"YA tak vinovat! YA-ya pridu, prosto derzhis'!" the woman sobbed once more, blood spilling from her mouth as she spoke, stopping her movement only to cough, blood splattering onto the floor.

"Just…s-stop…" Chat pleaded with what he felt would be his final breath, but just as he started to blackout, everything changed around him once again, and he was now simply sitting on the floor, holding his side which no longer hurt. Chat inhaled sharply and quickly got to his feet, searching for the woman once more. She may have been calling out to him in Russian, but he knew what she was saying.  
_"I'm so sorry! I'm coming, just hold on."_

Why was she apologizing to him? Why was she trying so hard to get to him? He couldn't see her face, but he knew it wasn't his Ladybug.  
While Adrien tried to wrap his head around what just happened, another image came into view. This one wasn't quite as foggy, in fact, it was rather clear. A black cat with a large silver bell around its neck came slowly walking towards him. He waited in silence as the cat sat in front of him, staring up at Adrien with bright green hues.

Chat was quiet for a while, wondering if he was simply supposed to wait for something to happen, but after a while, he decided to stop waiting.  
"Y-you gave me those pictures of Marinette?" asked Adrien hopefully. He may not have known what was going on here, but if it was a chance for some answers he had to just go along with it all.

The cat was silent and for a moment seemed like it would not move an inch, but it finally nodded it's head just a little.

Adrien's heart thumped in his chest. "Do you…know where Marinette is?!"

The cat once again did nothing at first, but the scenery around them changed completely and they were suddenly in front of Alexander Palace. The cat began to walk away, the scene changing around them quickly once more. The cat and Adrien were now in what looked to be a large chapel inside the palace.

"She's here?! Where? Why would she be in here?!" Adrien asked in a panic once he scanned the room and saw no sign of Marinette.

The cat stopped in front of Adrien again, staring up at him in silence.  
They stared at one another quietly for some time before the image of the woman was back, running down the aisle of the church dressed in red and black once more. However, this time, she was laughing lightly, turning to face him just as she reached the altar. He still couldn't see her face, but somehow he knew she was smiling. She seemed a bit younger than she was in the other illusions.

"Ey, Kot, ty menya lyubish'?" the woman asked with a gentle smile just before she evaporated into the air as if the wind was blowing her away.

Once more, Adrien found himself alone. The church, the palace, the cat, everything was gone and he was simply placed back onto the empty street where all these strange visions started. Still, it wasn't like he was back to normal.  
_This is giving me a headache, _thought Adrien as he rubbed his eyes with his forefinger and thumb, trying to make sense of it all. That woman, that other Ladybug, she kept appearing before him in strange ways along with that cat. It's not like he didn't get the symbolism there, but it still didn't make sense.  
Still, the words she spoke before she vanished again rang in his head.  
_"Hey Cat, do you love me?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took so long for this update.


End file.
